New safety syringe addresses needle-stick risk

Unilife Corporation’s Unitract® 1-ml syringe is now available for purchase in the United States. It differs from other syringes in that it features automatic, operator-controlled retraction and an independent auto-disable feature. The needle breaks off into a barrel to eliminate needle reuse and infection risk. The Unitract also offers intuitive use, compact handling, and convenient disposal.

According to the company, the Unitract is the first and only known syringe that allows operators to control the speed of automatic needle retraction directly from the patient’s body into the barrel of the syringe, where it is locked in place. The syringes are well positioned to help prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C via needle-stick injuries, aerosol dispersal, and syringe reuse.

Unilife and Independent Medical Co-Op, Inc. (IMCO), have entered into a preferred, nonexclusive marketing program for the sale of Unitract 1-ml syringes to U.S. healthcare facilities. Further information is available atwww.unitract.com.